by Langland, J.
"It won't come to that," Rupert assured her. "At least I don't think it should." He turned his attention to Edwyrd. Edwyrd was beginning to get an idea of what the boy wanted. "Lord Edwyrd," Rupert smiled, "as the Rod calls you," Edwyrd nodded, "You're our resident awe-inspiring animage. No offense, Maelen." The healer just nodded, staring at the boy to see what he was getting at. "Do you think you, Edwyrd, could open up a small gate to the Abyss? One we could all get through. Then if Tizzy was to provide a focal point, could you pull us out again?'
Jenn was just shaking her head, knowing it was impossible. Edwyrd didn't know however, certainly with Tizzy's assistance he could do it as Tom. He'd already done it once. The only question was whether he could do it and maintain his Edwyrd form. He thought for a moment.
"Rupert, give it up. Edwyrd can't do that." Jenn said. "No one can."
"Actually," Maelen spoke up, "that's not entirely true." He was gazing most speculatively at Edwyrd as he said this. "A truly skilled Spatiomaster or Astramaster could." He was clearly trying to discern the limits of Edwyrd's abilities and talents. "I already can tell that our friend Edwyrd knows some astramastery."
Edwyrd glanced out of the side of his eye at the healer-seer. He wasn't sure exactly what the man meant, or what he was up to. He didn't know anything about astramastery or spatiomastery or whatever it was called. All he knew were his demonic powers, and not even most of them. He finally spoke up.
"Well, if I knew where to go that would be cool enough, something I can presumably get from Rupert," he was making this up as he went. Bluffing, sort of. While he was sure he could really do it, he had to make it look as if he were doing it as an animage. That made it tricky because he still wasn't sure how an animage would do this stuff. "Plus if I can arrange some sort of link with Tizzy," meaning get Tizzy to summon him in Freehold, "I might just be able to do it." Maelen nodded as if what Edwyrd had just said made sense. Edwyrd was glad it made sense to someone.
Jenn shook again. "No. It's too dangerous. Can't do it. Not worth the risk."
"Jenn," Rupert said tiredly, "it won't involve the big demon." He grimaced at his stretching of the truth. "So, you have nothing to worry about. My cousin is very competent. He brought me back, and he helped you guys destroy the pirates." Maelen glanced at the boy as if to correct him on the pirates, clearly, Maelen knew what really happened, but the seer just shook his head slightly and let it pass. Jenn was still shaking her head.
"Jenn," Gastropé intervened. "You know I don't like demons any better than you, but if Rupert and Edwyrd think this will work, I'm willing to try. Having been through the Abyss more than once and lived, I'm willing to try again." Jenn still shook her head unconvinced.
"I think," Maelen told Jenn. "That our friend Edwyrd here can do it. I've seen what he's done so far, and if he is as good at other areas of Animagic as he is at pyromastery and healing, then we have nothing to fear. If he says he can do it, I believe him." Edwyrd wasn't sure whether to thank the old man for the vote of confidence or ask him why he was so confident.
"You are all crazy. The Rod is certainly better than the Abyss. As I said, if it comes down between burning at the stake or my soul burning in the Abyss, I'll take the stake."
"Are you willing to let the rest of us burn at the stake too, Jenn?" Rupert asked. "Because we need to do this together, if you burn we all burn. I know I'm not too fond of the idea of guaranteed death at the hands of the Rod." Jenn looked at him sourly. She just sat there for some time; no one said anything.
"You really don't play fair, do you child?" Jenn asked Rupert, she smiled sadly as she said it. "You little demon you," she shook her head as she said it, indicating it was a joke. Edwyrd was just glad she didn't know the truth of it.
That decided, Edwyrd took a little more authority on himself, "Tizzy," the octopodal demon looked at him. "How long will it take you to fly to Freehold?"
"How far is it?" Asked Tizzy. "Oh, and where is it?"
"Just follow this road through Yorkton up the pass into the mountains. The road leads directly there, it's the first large city after you exit the mountains. A little over four hundred miles." It was interesting, Edwyrd noted, that people in Astlan seemed to use miles as their base unit of distance. There didn't seem to be any logical reason why a completely different culture would use the same base unit of distance as his own. It was also rather strange everyone spoke English. It was also strange that he'd never noticed this before. It seemed too fortunate for simple coincidence. He looked over at Tizzy, needing to know the demon's answer in order to formulate a plan.
The little demon bent its head as if thinking. "Say, six hours. Six hours. Yep, that's about it," he looked maliciously at Jenn who was nodding, "give or take a day or three." Jenn looked up and glared at the demon. "OK, maybe six hours then. Give or take a half."
Actually, Edwyrd decided, listening closely, he wasn't sure it was English. It didn't quite sound like what he thought English should sound like; however, he couldn't seem to determine what was different. Was it all somehow translated in his brain? Part of the demonizing process? Did he just think he was speaking in English rather than Astlanian? Did his brain just substitute furlongs, kilometers or leagues or whatever with the word miles?
At the moment he guessed it was irrelevant. What was important was that they get out of the way of the Rod. First, he should take care of that and then he'd worry about whether they were actually speaking English. "Fine then," Edwyrd said as he stood up and walked over to Tizzy. "Let me establish a link to you." He put his hand on Tizzy's head and bent down to whisper in the demon's ear.
"When you get there just summon me by my full name, Thomas Edwyrd Perkinje, I'm sure you're familiar with what's needed?" Tizzy just snickered and nodded.
"The link is established; when you get there, just concentrate and I'll open a doorway for us." Edwyrd said, standing up and speaking so everyone could hear. Tizzy nodded to them all and suddenly lifted off into the air. Waving a hand in farewell the demon sped off to Freehold.
Edwyrd looked around at the others, "Well, we'd best be preparing ourselves. I think we should try to make the translation in about five hours. We want to be sure and be there when Tizzy calls.
"Rupert," Edwyrd said, "I'm going to need you to show me where to take us." He winked secretly at the boy.
The five hours passed quickly. Or so Edwyrd thought, he had no clock to judge the time by, but Maelen seemed to know. They rounded up everything they had, as if they were preparing to take to the road again. After a bit of disagreement, Gastropé got his way and they loaded the donkey to bring it through also. Jenn complained about her and Gastropé not being able to cool everyone and the donkey, but surprisingly it had been Maelen who'd overruled her. The seer claimed that as part of something he called 'Body Mastery' he wouldn't need a cool spell, and that he could probably extend himself to cover the donkey as well, if not the entire party. Given the idea, Edwyrd added that he could cover Rupert and himself, so Jenn and Gastropé need only worry about themselves.
Naturally, Edwyrd had no idea how to extend protection to either himself or Rupert. However, given that he intended to be returning to his own home, and that Rupert also being a demon wouldn't need any protection either, he felt it a fairly safe claim. In fact, last time, he'd forgotten completely about how hot the Abyss was. Apparently, this cool spell thing was what Jenn had been afraid of running out of power for last time. Also, he was pretty sure Jenn had never done the cool spell on Rupert either, the kid had made a beeline for the outside as soon as they'd arrived. He only hoped she didn't remember that fact.
As the time for departure arrived, Edwyrd had everyone gather around the fire. As they did so he began to concentrate on the fire. He melded his mind with the fire, just as he had done with the last gateway. He didn't go all the way and become flame, rather he held back, holding the Edwyrd form intact. He imagined the flame burning a hole in reality, charring a small opening between the veil between the Abyss and Astlan
. It was a hole in the flame, a hole that opened up into his cave. Wider and wider, he imagined it, spreading his hands apart to force it wide enough. When he'd done so, he closed his eyes, concentrating all his will on making the hole real.
Whoosh! Went the fire before them. He heard Jenn take an indrawn breath, and knew he must have what he needed. Opening his eyes he beheld the hole in the flames, opening up to his cave. "Who's first?” he asked.
~
Rupert didn't need to be asked twice. He dove through the hole in the flame, hearing Jenn sigh his name in frustration. He didn't care though, he was going home again! Going back to where he belonged. He emerged into the dark cave; he willed his eyes to adjust even as he had the first time. Tom's cave was just as they'd left it.
Not that there was much to change. The place was just a tad bit on the barren side. He suspected, however, that it was really just a stopping point of Tom's. Hunting cabin sort of thing. He'd probably brought them there the first time because it was up in the mountains and thus cooler so Jenn's and Gastropé's spells could work.
As Rupert was looking around, Gastropé stepped through the hole. The young wizard groped blindly in the dark for a second and then produced a small ball of Were Light. Gastrope' had put his cooling spell on before entering, but even so Rupert could see him sweating. Maybe he should think of sweating, too?
Following Gastropé through the hole was Maelen leading the donkey. Apparently, the healer had put the animal into some sort of trance to get it to walk through fire. The donkey stared straight ahead, oblivious to its surroundings. Jenn had to step sideways to get around the donkey who was temporarily blocking her way. She was muttering to herself, convinced that she'd let them talk her into something really stupid. As she hurried out of the way, Edwyrd stepped through.
As Edwyrd stepped through, he turned to face the hole and concentrated on it. As Rupert watched, he saw the light in the clearing fade as Edwyrd quenched the fire in the fire pit. The hole growing ever smaller as he did so. At last he shook his head as if exiting a trance, and smiled, "There, that should do it, and I've put the fire out so we won't be responsible for any forest fires. Smokey would be proud." Rupert wondered who Smokey was. Some demon with a fear of fire? It seemed unlikely.
Jenn had been staring around, tapping her foot. "Smart, real smart."
"What?" Edwyrd asked her.
"You've brought us to the same place the big demon did."
"So?" Edwyrd asked, clearly puzzled.
"So? What if it shows up? I doubt it's going to be too thrilled with uninvited house guests." Jenn said as if speaking to a small child.
"Uhm." Edwyrd was at a bit of a loss here. "Well, it's the only place Rupert knew." He looked apologetically at Rupert for laying the blame on him.
"You could have asked Gastropé. He's had the grand tour." Gastropé looked rather embarrassed.
Edwyrd simply said, "You could have suggested that." That caused Jenn to stop what she'd been about to say. Edwyrd was right and even though she wasn't in a good mood, she had to admit it, Rupert thought.
"Hmm, well, what do we do if it comes by?"
"Say, sorry to bother you, but do you have a cup of sugar?" Edwyrd suggested.
Jenn smiled grimly and shook her head. "I don't think so. You've never dealt with this demon. I suspect he'd simply bite your head off and then after he'd digested your brains, might think to ask."
This time it was Edwyrd who shook his head. "Why do you hate this demon so much? From what I've heard, all he's done is try to help you."
Jenn looked at him skeptically. "You have all this incredible power, and yet you know so little about demons?"
"Apparently," Edwyrd replied sarcastically.
"Demons are evil. E--V--I--L in all capital letters. Anyone stupid enough to trust one deserves to have their soul eaten."
"Do you really think demons eat souls?" Edwyrd asked incredulously.
"It doesn't really matter, does it? As everyone knows, demons have only one goal. Destruction. The destruction of all humankind, destruction of life, destruction of all Astlan. Destruction for the sake of destruction."
"How do you know that? Did the demons tell you this?" Edwyrd asked.
"Hah! Like you could trust anything a demon told you. I can't believe that you're either this naive or that you can think to defend them." Jenn paced back and forth a couple times. "It is taught to every child entering wizardry, as well as all children everywhere to a lesser degree, that demons are the agents of destruction. They rebelled against the gods at creation and have since done nothing but try and undo that creation."
Edwyrd apparently came up with a different tact, "if demons are so evil, such agents of destruction, the why do wizards use them? Wouldn't that make those who use them evil as well? People who summon or bind demons would thus be evil, people like Lenamare--or you?"
Jenn shouted indignantly, "I do not summon or bind demons!"
"Oh? Didn't you participate in summoning and binding Tom with Lenamare?"
Jenn sputtered, it took her a moment to come up with a response to that. "That was just a learning exercise. Part of a class, I had to attend. Lenamare demanded all his students attend!"
"So you're not evil, because you just did what you were told?"
"Look! I'm not evil, and yes I had no choice in summoning that demon; believe me, I'd rather not have."
"So you had no choice? Lenamare forced you to do it? Sort of like how Lenamare forced the demon to go out and slay the demons, wizards and soldiers attacking the wards? Sort of like Jehenna ordering the demon to attack Gastropé's people? The demon was ordered to do those things. Therefore, was it responsible for those evil acts? Wasn't it just doing what it was told?"
Jenn was nearly screeching by this point. "That's ridiculous!"
"Oh, and did Lenamare or Jehenna give the demon a choice? You know how this stuff works better than I. Do these spells leave the demon any free will?"
Jenn shook her head. "No," she admitted angrily, "but that's beside the point. It enjoyed doing those things. It enjoys killing and destroying things."
"Really," Edwyrd asked calmly, "and how do you know? Did you ask it?"
"Ask it,” she was staring at Edwyrd as if he'd just chopped his own head off and was sitting on it. "Ask it? Are you totally daft? Ask a demon if it enjoys destruction? Of course not! Ask the very archetype of Evil if it enjoys being evil?"
"Then how do you know?" Edwyrd persisted.
"Know! What's this about know? Of course I know! It’s by definition. Demons are evil, they are anti-creation incarnate!"
"Ahh!" Edwyrd said softly, calmingly, "But Jenn? By whose definition? The demons'? The Rod's or some ancient wizards'? Are the demons given any more choice in defining themselves as good or evil than they're given a choice in any of their other actions dictated by wizards? Were they given any more choice in defining themselves than we were in the Rod's definition of us?"
Jenn simply snorted. She shook her head. "You just don't understand anything. You just don't understand demons."
"Maybe," Edwyrd admitted quietly, "or maybe I just don't understand wizards."
Jenn looked at him, still somewhat as if he were insane, but also as if she just couldn't understand him or where he was coming from. As if she just couldn't fathom what drove him to such strange thoughts.
“Oh, and who’s boss vaporized a few thousand soldiers in a split second outside his former school?” Edwyrd asked, “You’re telling me that a mass murderer like Lenamare is one of the ‘good guys’ and the demon that saved your life, twice, was a ‘bad guy’?”
Jenn looked at Edwyrd in shock, her jaw moving, apparently unable to make a response. “I’m betting that your mentor,” Edwyrd continued, “killed more people in one second than most demons kill in an eternity.” Jenn sputtered, harrumphed and turned her back on the discussion.
During the entire argument both Gastropé and Maelen had looked on in shock and surprise. Both totally bemused by
the sudden vehemence on both sides. Rupert had all he could do to keep from cheering Edwyrd on, even as he wondered at Jenn's irrationality.
All his life he'd wanted to know the answers to those very same questions. He'd raged day in and day out against those who'd tried to impose such definitions on him. Here Tom, his father, was arguing the very same argument he'd so often dreamed of arguing with a wizard. Like father, like son, Rupert beamed.
~
Field Protectator Wylan surreptitiously looked on as the series of suspects succinctly and systematically removed themselves from the local vicinity of his jurisdiction. He shook his head in bemusement. This was most serious. As the last of the felonious peripatetics disappeared through the opening in the fire, said fire diminished in size until it was reduced to nothingness. Wylan stepped forth to survey the scene of the suspects' justice evasion operation. He sniffed the air around the fire, and examined in minute detail the fire pit itself. "On the encouraging side, they will not have to be charged with reckless forestall endangerment through the unauthorized use of pyromantic techniques." His assistant nodded in agreement. "On the negative side, we will have to add evasion of justice resulting in fugitive status to their already long list of criminal convictions." He looked to his fellow law officer to ensure that the man was writing this down.
Wylan had met up with Assistant Vice-Constable Pyromancer Fiernon a few hours ago. The two had made judicious haste to the site of the suspects' campsite. They had observed said suspects for over an hour before the suspects had suddenly taken action and marched through the fire, failing to emerge on the other side. "To what location do you believe these vile henchmen of hell have abstained?" asked Fiernon.
Wylan frowned. "Your choice of the word hell may not be completely without meaningful merit. While I am not currently as well versed as some of my fellows in such matters as pertinent to this investigation, it is my belief, judging from the smell of sulfur and brimstone in the air, added to their already admittedly illicit and ill-advised demonic alliances, that they have absconded to the Abyss."